Travis County recommends 30-foot defensible space around structures in WUI zones per Texas A&M Forest Service Firewise guidelines. No county-wide mandatory brush clearance ordinance exists, but ESDs and some MUDs (Steiner Ranch, Lakeway area) have adopted local clearance standards. Cedar (Ashe juniper) removal is strongly encouraged within 100 feet of homes.
Hill Country terrain in western Travis County creates severe wildfire exposure documented by TAMU Forest Service WUI maps. Zone 1 (0-30 ft from structure): remove all dead vegetation, keep grass under 4 inches, prune tree limbs 6-10 ft above ground. Zone 2 (30-100 ft): thin Ashe juniper (cedar), maintain 10-foot spacing between tree crowns. Zone 3 (100-200 ft): reduce ladder fuels. Travis County Firewise program offers free home assessments. The 2011 Steiner Ranch fire showed that homes with defensible space survived while adjacent properties with heavy cedar cover were destroyed. Travis County participates in TAMU-FS wildfire mitigation grants.
No mandatory county clearance enforcement. HOA and MUD violations handled through deed restrictions and civil action. Failure to control fire spreading from your property: civil liability for neighbor property damage.
Travis County, TX
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See how Travis County's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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